How to Set Up a Teleconference

by Larry Amon; Updated September 26, 2017

Teleconferencing allows you to have a meeting, even if one or several of your participants is too far away to make an in-person meeting without a lot of inconvenience. Some teleconferencing options include a way to share video over the Internet or share your desktop with all of the participants. You can do teleconferencing with VOIP (voice over IP) or on standard phone lines. You’ll be able to communicate with all of the members with full expression, so you can accurately convey your words and meaning.

Step 1

Create an account with a teleconference service provider. Phone companies such AT&T have teleconferencing services but there are also a plethora of new companies on the Internet that provide the service, such as GoToMeeting and Webex (see Resources). Most of these companies fully integrate voice and web sharing or offer standard voice conferencing as an add on to the video or desktop-sharing service. Some companies even provide teleconferencing for free, such as FreeConference.com (see Resources).

Step 2

Setup the conference. Usually all you have to do once you have an account is go to the website and login with your user ID and password. Once you’re logged in you just need to select the date, time and length of your call. The service provider will give you a list of choices for all of the information and usually will have additional features to select, such as desktop sharing or video conferencing.

Step 3

Let your conference attendees know. The service will usually provide you with all of the information you need to share, such as the phone number to call, PIN and any other general instructions. There may even be a built-in email reminder to let everyone who will attend the conference know how to connect.

Step 4

Make the call. All of the callers will dial the same number if you're doing voice over a regular phone line. If you're using the Internet you will be provided with a web address to enter to share your desktop or video or voice over the Internet, if this is how your service does voice. When entering the phone number there will be a conference number and/or PIN that each person has to type in, to direct them to your conference. Video conferencing requires some kind of camera hooked up to your computer, however. Almost any webcam will work.

Resources

About the Author

Larry Amon has been working in the computer field for more than 10 years and has experience writing scripts, instructional articles and political commentary. He has been published online, as well as in "NRB Magazine" and "Delmarva Youth & Family." He started a nonprofit media organization in 2000.